Illuminated cover plate for electrical outlets



June 17; 1958 L. GLADSTONE 2,839,670

ILLUMINATED COVER PLA' I'E FOR ELECTRICAL OUTLETS Filed Ja n. 18, 1957INVENTOR.

LEWIS GLADSTONE ATTORNEY United States Patent ILLUMINATED (IUVER PLATEFOR ELECTRICAL @UTLETS Lewis Gladstone, Springfield Gardens, N. Y.

Application January 18, 1957, Serial No. 635,047

3 Claims. (Cl. 246-2) This invention relates to cover plates for switchboxes. The invention particularly concerns a plate adapted to provide amore decorative eiiect and serve to make the location and position ofthe switch more readily visible than is possible with conventional coverplates employed with house lighting switches.

The present invention serves to outline the perimeter of the cover plateso that the wall area surrounding the plate is not touched and soiledwhen the switch is manually operated in the dark. In a darkened roomsuilicient illumination is provided by the edge lit plate to serve as anight light.

It is therefore a principal object to provide a cover plate for a wallswitch provided with means for edge lighting the plate.

It is a further object to provide a transparent switch plate having sucha structure that edge lighting effects are produced therein and luminousdecorative patterns, textures, and designs are visible through thetransparent body of the plate.

It is a further object to provide a switch cover plate of the characterdescribed with portions formed as optical elements such as lenses,prisms, and the like to increase light reilection, refraction, anddispersion efiects at the edges thereof while leaving internal portionsof the plate substantially non-luminous.

It is a further object to provide a cover plate with a quick attachingclip means for electrical terminals so that a lamp carried by the platemay be connected to a switch in a house lighting circuit withoutdisturbing.

the existing wiring to the switch.

It is a further object to provide a cover plate adapted to produce adecorative lighting effect during times when an electric illum' circuitis switched off.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will becomereadily apparent from the following description taken together withdrawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a cover plate embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the cover plate.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on lines 3-3of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on lines 44 of Fig. 1 showing on anenlarged scale an edge construction arranged to produce optimumreflection effects thereat.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing another angle of cut for theplate edge.

Figs. 6, 7, 8, ll) and 11 show further forms of plate edges adapted toproduce diiierent optical effects.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on lines 99 of Fig. 1 showing on anenlarged scale a luminous tube disposed in a recess in the plate.

Fig. 12 is a front elevational view of a further form of switch coverplate.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on lines 1313 showing details ofinternal prisms formed in the plate.

2,839,670 Patented June 17, 1958 'ice (3 r; Fig. 14 is a fragmentaryrear elevational view of the cover plate of Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale of a' clip adapted toattach the plate to a housing lighting switch.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken on lines 16-16 of Fig. 15 showingfurther details of the clip construction.

in Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a generally rectangular transparentplastic plate 20 having the edges 21 vof the entire perimeter of theplate inclined or beveled with respect to the plane, of the top andbottom surfaces of the plate. In the plate 20 is a centrally disposedaper ture 22 which is also rectangular and which has beveled edgesaround its entire periphery. Holes 24 and 25 are disposed in alignmentwith a longitudinal medial line of the plate. These holes serve toreceive screws for securing the plate to a switch box. The edges 26 ofthese holes are also beveled. A pair of spaced parallel recesses 28, 29are formed in the body of the plate 20. Each of these recesses is coatedor covered at its inner side or bottom with an opaque film as best shownin Figs. 3,, 9. The sides 30 of the recesses extending perpendicular totop surface it? and bottom surfaces 11 of the plate are clear and freeof any coating or film. Within the recesses are disposed small gasdischarge lamps or tubes 32 which contain neon or other gas having theproperty of glowing when an electrical current is dischargedtherethrough. A spring clip 33 having out.- wardly flaring sides 33 asbest shown in Fig. 9, serves to retain each tube 32 in its recess.

The entire bottom surface 11 of the plate is covered with an opaquecolored coating or film 34 of paint, ink, or other materal. Connected toone of the wire leads 35 of one tube 32 is a resistor 36. The resistoris connected via an insulated lead 37 to a power supply lead 33. Thisinsulated lead 38 terminates in a three-pronged spring clip 40. Theother wire lead of the tube is connected via an insulated wire 42 toinsulated wire 43 which terminates in another three-pronged spring clip44. Another resistor 45 is connected in series with the other tubeacross the power supply leads 38, 43. The tubes are thus respectivelyconnected in series with loading resistors 36, 45, and the severaltube-resistor circuits are Zonnected in parallel across the power supplyleads 33, 3.

The structure of the clips 40 and 44 are best shown in Figs. 15 and 16.These clips each have three curved prongs 41 disposed at angles of about115 to each other. Each prong terminates in an inwardly turned hook 46adapted to engage under the rim of a screw head 47. This screw head isat the end of a screw 48 conventionally used to secure a power supplywire 50 of a house lighting circuit to a switch body 51. The clips 40,44 are so formed that the prongs snap over the rounded screw head toattach the terminals of Wires 38, 43 to the switch and lighting circuitwithout the necessity of unscrewing the house lighting circuit orotherwise disturbing the screws 48. Thus the tubes 32 are always inparallel with the switch contained in switch body 51 and remain lit whenthe switch is open but are extinguished when the switch is closed.

In Fig. 4 the plate 20 is shown formed with beveled edge 21 inclined atan angle of forty-five degrees to the faces 10 and 11 of the plate. Ashort pedestal 18 is provided in the perimeter of the plate tostrengthen the edge and avoid the chipping which would occur if the edge21 formed a sharp knife edge with the rear surface 11. The inclined edge21 produces reflection effects as indicated by the dotted line paths ofthe light beams L emanating from tubes 32. Area A designates the zone ofmaximum illumination so that the plate always has a front illuminatedrectangular frame. The opening 22 through which normally extends theswitch handle (not shown) is similarly framed by a. brightly illuminatedrectangular frame. The edge 21 in Fig. is disposed at an angle of thirtydegrees to faces 14], 11. This produces a larger zone of illumination Aas the light beams which travel parallel to faces 10, 11 through windows30 strike surface 21, then are reflected to the opaque film 34 andfinally are reflected out of the plate atthe perimeter thereof.

In Fig. 6 the inclined edge 21' is roughened to provide light dispersionefllects combined with reflection effects produced by the inclined edge.Fig. 8 shows the edge 21 inclined so that internal reflecting of theparallel beams L does not take place and the edge of the plate is thenilluminated by the refracted beams R. in Fig. 8 the edge 21 has aninternal or concave curvature so that the edge forms a portion of acylindrical lens. The refracted light beams R converge to provide a verybrightly illuminated rectangular ring at the perimeter of the plate. InFigs. 10 and 11 various compound forms are shown for the edges of theplate. In Fig. 10 the edge has inclined portions 21A and 21D, a verticalsection 21C and a curved section 21B. In addition the base of the platein the zone of maximum illumination is roughened, curved, patterned,textured or otherwise shaped to provide attractive and interestingoptical effects as the light rays L graze over the irregularly shapedpatterns, textures and designs. The parallel beams L imipinging on thetextured portions of the zone A" will exhibit grazing reflection effectsI which are very attractive. In Fig. 11 the perimeter of the plate isformed with a thickened portion P. In addition to the inclined side 21there is provided an oppositely inclined internal edge or facet 10A andan additional inclined bottom edge or facet 11A. A flat facet 10B isdisposed between inclined portions 10A and 21. These various flats andfacets all coact to increase the reflection and refraction effects toenhance the edge lit appearance of the plate.

It is important to note that the plate is formed of non-luminous,uncolored, transparent material. In this type of plate the body of theplate outside of the edge lit zones in all the forms shown in Figs. 1-11remains substantially dark. Only the edge lighting effects at theoutside perimeter 21 and the internal perimeter of aperture 22 areobtained. Since the tubes 32 contain neon or other gas such as mercury,argon, krypton or mixtures of these and other gases, the edge lightingeffects are quite brilliant and remain so even in the presence of thehigh intensity ambient illumination which is present in daylight whenthe lights in the room where the plate is located are off. In priorknown types of switch plates the plate illumination means only served toilluminate the switch handle. At best, the prior known illuminatedplates had luminous zones in the immediate vicinity of the illuminatinglamp. There was no edge lighting effect. The prior known plates were nottransparent, but instead were made of colored or translucent material.In the present invention by contrast the plate is wholly transparent sothat it is substantially non-luminous. The edge lighting effects areproduced wholly by reflection and refraction at the inclined facets andflats.

In Figs. 12 and 13 there is shown a switch plate embodying the inventionin which the plate 20A is formed like a leaf having a stem 61 with theinclined edge 21, and aperture 22 for the switch handle. Veins 60 areformed by grooves having V-shaped cross sections extending into thebottom or rear face 11. Localized reflection effects are produced atthese veins 60 when the parallel light beams impinge on them. Portionsof the plate which are free of these veins or other inclined surfacesremain dark, so that a very attractive sparkling appearance is presentedby the plate.

In Fig. 14 is shown the arrangement of the electrical circuitry of theplate. Four lamps 32 are provided in four recesses 62 disposed at rightangles to each other. The four resistors 50, 51, 52, and 53 are printedon the opaque coating 34 and printed conductive leads 54 are connectedto the lead wires of the tubes, printed resistors, and the common powersupply leads 38, 43. Clips 40 and 44 terminate the leads 38, 43. Theprinted form of circuitry is especially adapted to high speed, low costmass production manufacturing methods. Clips 49, 44 are soldered toleads 38, 43 and these leads are in turn soldered to the parallelarrangement of the lamp-resistor series circuits. If desired, the fourrecesses 62 may be formed as a circular groove, and the four lamps 32may be replaced by a single circular tubular gas discharge lamp arrangedin series circuit with a single resistor. Clips 49 and 44 will then beconnected to one terminal of the lamp and one terminal of the resistorrespectively. Instead of forming veins in the plate such as shown bygrooves 60, other textures, patterns and designs may be used to obtaininteresting optical effects as the lateral light rays L graze overdesigns such as wood grains, cloth textures, plaids, flowers, symbols,etc. These designs may be formed in the body of the plate such as shownin Fig. 10. If desired the designs may be coated at the rear of theplate with differently colored opaque inks or paints. These colors maybe different from each other in the several parts of the design, and theremainder of the opaque background coating 34 may be of still adifferent color. The transparency of the plate will permit a clear viewof these grazing lit designs and textures.

What is claimed and sought to be protected by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. An ornamental illuminated cover for an electrical outlet, comprisinga flat plate formed of transparent material and having wholly flat frontand rear sides, an opaque light reflective coating on said rear side,said plate having a pair of spaced parallel [recesses formed in the rearside thereof, the bottom of each recess being covered with an opaquematerial, said plate having a rectangular opening formed therein betweensaid recesses for passage of a handle of a switch therethrough, saidopening having walls beveled with respect to said front and rear sides,a gas discharge lamp wholly contained within each of the recessesbetween the planes of the front and rear sides, the lamps transmittinglight rays through the plate to the perimeter thereof, said light rayspassing parallel to said sides and being wholly confined therebetween,said perimeter having a wall portion disposed at an acute angle to theflat rear side, said rays being internally reflected from said walls,said wall portion and said flat rear side adjacent to said perimeter andsaid opening so that only said wall portion of the perimeter and thebeveled walls of the opening are illuminated while said flat front sideis otherwise free of illumination by said rays.

2. An ornamental illuminated cover according to claim 1, wherein saidperimeter is serrated so that the plate simulates a leaf, said rear sideof the plate being formed with grooves having V-shaped cross sectionsfor reflection of said rays therefrom to simulate illuminated veins.

3. An ornamental illuminated cover according to claim 1, wherein saidwall portion of the perimeter is cylindrically curved to intensifyillumination thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,575,820 Linton Nov. 20, 1951

